#t:tbz

You felt pressured to look pretty?

Kevin: I kept wondering “is this right?”

Sunwoo: Everyone turned into princesses but Kevin dressed up as Tarzan all by himself. (laughter)

Ah, Kevin turned into Moana, right?

Jacob: More like “mwo hana?” (T/N: What are you doing?)

Sunwoo, Haknyeon: Oh, that rhymes! (laughter)

From the emergency meeting for the 11 princesses to the first-seen “Igloo”, “Whiplash”, “Shanghai Romance” units. There were reactions calling you “new concert experts” as well. If you were to choose something in particular you focused on while preparing for this concert?

New: We just wanted to show everything. It was a concert where we had a really big desire to show everything we could. We actually couldn’t hold a year-end concert like we do every year due to the agency change.

Haknyeon: That’s right. Instead of meeting at the end of the year, we met at the start of the new year, and as this was a fanconcert, we listed all the songs the fans love from 1 to 100 and carefully made the setlist like that.

Sunwoo: For this concert I focused my efforts specifically on looking pretty. (laughter)

In one interview, Sunwoo said “Big efforts are a must to truly cherish each and every performance”. I would imagine each member has different areas where they put in the most effort.

Sunwoo: I’m constantly imagining things and coming up with scenarios. “In this part I should do this expression, and in that part I should do that gesture”, that kind of thing. I come up with movements and gestures by imagining them. I lie still and imagine a lot of scenarios.

Younghoon: So you’re always lying down? (laughter)

Sunwoo: When we’re learning a new choreography, I stand still behind the members and just watch. Only after I’ve observed all the details in the movements by the dance instructor can I move my body.

Haknyeon: In my case, I’m a bit slower compared to the other members. My memorization speed, my adaptation speed, it’s all slower, so for 1 or 2 weeks before the concert, I don’t think about anything else at all, only the performances. That way, I can memorize the moves faster and familiarize myself a little more with that performance.

Jacob: I make an effort not to be satisfied. Because I believe that once you’re satisfied, you stop growing. I think I try to accept my strengths and weaknesses as they are while monitoring myself and put in the effort to develop even further.

THE BOYZ is now in their 8th year. How do each of you recall the time spent in these 8 years?

Sunwoo: All kinds of emotions. (T/N: Literally “joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure”, meaning all range of human emotion.) That’s just life. As we live, we experience joyful things, angering things, sorrowful things, pleasing things, and it’s the same with THE BOYZ. Should I say THE BOYZ is like a person? Be it the results of the team or the things we do, it all brings about different kinds of emotions.

Younghoon: To me, I want to say it was TheBs themselves. No matter what, everything was only possible because TheB were there by our side for these 8 years.

We can’t leave out the chemistry between the members. All 11 of you have distinct personalities but you respect each other as you are.

Kevin: The team spirit is really horizontal. (T/N: No hierarchy.) All 11 are friends and family.

Haknyeon: Like what Sunwoo said, THE BOYZ is a team, a person, and life itself. If we don’t respect each other, who will respect us?

New, who wanted to sing so much that he became a singer, who is your musical inspiration/idol?

New: I don’t aspire to be like anyone else. My role models are my fans, of course. I liked singing so I had a vague dream to work as a singer, but now I know this singing isn’t just mine. I share this singing with the people who are listening to it, and for that I’m always grateful towards our fans.

We’ve heard that Kevin has a lot on his mind. It’s to the point where you can’t sleep. Is that still the case these days?

Kevin: These days, there’s been a lot more of me not being able to sleep due to excitement and nervousness about our new beginning than because of worries. (laughter)

Between all of that, what are you most excited about?

Kevin: THE BOYZ evolving musically, and also THE BOYZ’s potential that’s about to blossom. I’m always sort of expecting that the day will come when our potential will blossom beyond what we see right now.

Haknyeon is such a super E (extroverted) that he says he spends even his rest days out of the house. Did you leave the house after the concert ended this time as well?

Haknyeon: I really spent a lot of time outside back in the day. But maybe I’ve grown older. (laughter) These days I find it hard to go out. So I tend to stay inside. At home I spend my time mostly listening to music and practicting recording.

We’ve heard that you like singing so much that you even sing it on your daily life. We heard your sweet voice today during the shooting as well.

Haknyeon: I had vocal practice yesterday so it must be coming out of my lips naturally. I was practicing Yoon Dohyun sunbaenim’s “It Must Have Been Love (사랑했나봐)”. I didn’t realize I was singing it today.

Sunwoo said he thinks “form” is important. What kind of form is that?

Sunwoo: I say a lot that “image/reputation is important” so I think that’s why I’m asked that, but honestly the kind of form I mean isn’t about pretending to be tough to look strong in front of the weak, or acting full of myself. It’s the complete opposite, actually. I think the real form is having great skills but not showing off and just being strong inside. Of course that in order to not lose your form, your skills can’t lag behind, so you need to work harder. (laughter)

The class president Sangyeon is about to enlist. It seems like the responsibility lies heavy on the vice president Jacob’s shoulders.

Jacob: We all work while treating each other as friends so I don’t think I’ll necessarily need to step up and lead. We lead each other.

Haknyeon: Even so, I think it would be nice if Jacob hyung did our group greeting. We should discuss that among ourselves, but still. (laughter)

Younghoon is a member who gets a lot of attention for his handsome looks, right? Between “He’s so handsome that looking at him every day never gets tiring” and “His voice is so nice that listening to him every day never gets tiring”, which one do you like the most?

Younghoon: (After thinking long and hard) Both are great, but I like “so handsome that looking at him every day never gets tiring” more. (laughter) But I think if the fans came to me and said that my voice is so nice they never get tired of listening to it every day, I would be really touched. Even so, so handsome that you never get tired is nicer. (laughter)

Is there anything that THE BOYZ wants to explore for the first time in the future?

Younghoon: If we talk to people, it’s not that they don’t know THE BOYZ. But there aren’t many people who know THE BOYZ’s songs well. So with this new start, we want to make a hit song that once you mention THE BOYZ, people will say “oh, they have a really popular song, don’t they?”.

Kevin: If I were to add to that, I’d love it if we could strengthen the image of a “self-made” group. We have many members that are good at writing and composing songs. So since we have in-house producers and a CEO that support us musically, I’m really looking forward to that.

Even if as a team there is one goal you’re running towards, each one probably has their individual goals. What is the moment that will make each of you feel like you’re satisfied?

Sunwoo: I don’t think I’ll be satisfied no matter what?

Haknyeon: Charting 1st place on Billboard.

Sunwoo: I think I’ll be satisfied then.

To move towards their goal, a team needs an engine, wheels, a steering wheel, and a gear to decide if they go, reverse, or stay on neutral. What role do you think each member assumes in that scenario?

Sunwoo: How should I say this… I don’t believe we need to think of THE BOYZ as one car. Of course, we’re all closely interconnected. But instead of assigning different roles in one car, I think we’re 11 different cars. Each person is responsible for steering its own wheel and has its own engine, right? And while we may be 11 different cars, I believe we’re all moving in the same direction. If someone falls behind, we’ll all slow down, and if someone runs ahead, we all step on the accelerator together.

That is such a cool answer. So what’s the genre of the story about the 11 cars lined up to form THE BOYZ?

Haknyeon: “Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.” Just like that saying, I think it depends on the perspective. From up close, it could be a documentary about 11 people, but from far away, it could be a romantic movie of THE BOYZ and TheBs.

Younghoon: All-genre. I think THE BOYZ’s color is that we can do any genre well.

What kind of group do THE BOYZ want to be defined as?

New: In the future, in the present, and in the past, THE BOYZ are boys. Just like it’s always been, I would like for us to be defined as boys.

You’re releasing a new album in March. You’re starting a new journey, so is there anything you would like to say to TheBs?

Younghoon: Our TheBs must’ve been worried since the beginning about things like what company we would move to, what new beginning we would have. But after the fanconcert, I felt like both the members and the fans grew to trust the new company a lot.

Kevin: That’s right. Our new album has a completely different color and vibe compared to what THE BOYZ has shown so far, so I’m really excited to see what will be TheBs’ reactions.

Haknyeon: I wonder if we need to express that it’s a new beginning at all. THE BOYZ is always THE BOYZ, regardless of what company we are in, we will continue to make our own path. Just like now.

New: Just like TheBs cherish THE BOYZ, we too will continue to love TheBs, so please believe in us and walk with us until the end, that’s what I want to say. Thank you always!

You showed special stages at the fan concert last week.

Juyeon: It felt like I was dreaming. The performances were all planned as a way to repay the fans’ love even if just a little bit, so we were able to definitely perform more comfortably and just as ourselves. However, instead of the performances that we spent months putting our sweat and blood into, the princess costumes seem to have gotten an even better reaction… (laughter)

Hyunjae: Nothing beat the princess costumes.

Q: What kind of performance will we do to top the impact of the princess costumes…

Seems like the princess costumes left a big impression not only on fans but on the members as well.

Eric: We wore the costumes and rode the carts deep into the standing section, right? I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on TheBs’ faces when I met their eyes then. They were shocked, and I hope it was a good type of shocked. I wonder what those expressions meant. Even as I lie down to sleep, I keep thinking of those expressions?

Sangyeon: I think it was shocked horror…

Eric: Right, it looked like they were scared. I want to say I’m really sorry. But honestly, at first I was really mortified and embarrassed, but after doing it for 3 days I found that I was growing shameless, so in all honesty I had a bit of fun during the last day. Yes, I believe I can say it like that. (laughter)

THE BOYZ is a group where each member has his own personality, but each member also have its own associated color, right? Those representative colors aside, I’m curious to hear which color do you think each one of you has. When looking at each other, what color comes to mind first?

Q: Sangyeon hyung is mint. He just exudes mint energy. He’s just so minty. (laughter) 

Eric: Juyeon hyung is either black or brown. Since he’s a bit of a romantic. Hyunjae hyung is sort of navy blue. Navy looks cold and it’s a cool (= chic) color, right? But if you befriend him, he’s a “softie”.

Hyunjae: Once you befriend me I’m pink, right?

Eric: No, no. You’re sky blue. You fade from navy blue. Because you’re really like a friend and you make the person feel comfortable. And Q hyung is apricot.

Hyunjae: Oh, I totally agree he’s apricot!

Eric: Because yellow is too pure and sort of has that baby chick vibe, and while Q hyung does have that pure vibe, when he’s at work he’s a total “T” (MBTI). So it feels like it should be the vibe of something close to yellow but a little colder and more chill?

Ah, because as a person he has more of a modern vibe? (T/N: Eric said mudeonhan, chill, but the question now is about modeonhan, modern; not sure if the interviewer misheard him or if they’re inferring that from what he said.)

Hyunjae: To me, it’s because Q is very human. He’s a really decent person!

Juyeon: To me, Q is gray. Because gray is the combination of black and white, right? If you look at Q, [his personality] is very clearly black and white… (laughter)

So is there any skill or talent among the members that you admire so much you would want for yourself?

Q: To me it’s Sunwoo’s wit. It’s something really intrinsic to him. He’s a really smart friend. So I kind of really want to have that wit myself too. No, actually, I want to take everything. 

Sangyeon: To me it’s Eric’s energy?

Hyunjae: Oh, hyung looks like he has absolutely no energy right now.

Sangyeon: Yeah, I think I need it right now. This is the time I go to sleep, so… (laughter) Eric’s energy is really overflowing with, how should I say it, like a battery that doesn’t run out.

An all-center boygroup that doesn’t lack in anything, from visuals to skills. I would say that’s how THE BOYZ is recognized, but there’s also something like “metacognition”. I’m curious to hear what the members think of THE BOYZ right now.

Sangyeon: Even from my own perspective, I think the members are such a good combination of people. Everyone is interesting and filled with talent. So schedules together like this one today feel much more reliable and trustworthy than solo schedules.

When you were rookies, how did you introduces yourselves when you got asked “What kind of group is THE BOYZ?”?

Hyunjae: The one and only boys in everyone’s hearts!

After 8 years, how has that changed?

Sangyeon: We’re still… the boys who capture hearts?

Hyunjae: Pfft. That’s right. We’re working on it.

Sangyeon: Even now, we found that there are many TheBs finding us and joining the fandom. So we still need to work as hard as ever, that’s what I think.

You were really busy last year with your world tour and album promotions, right? On the day of release, you reached the top of the Japanese Oricon chart, and your 9th minialbum <Dohwaseon(導火線)> achieved half a million pre-sales. Do you have an even more ambitious record you want to achieve?

Q: Uhm, of course that achieving good records is great for everyone involved. However, instead of trying to achieve this record or that goal, I think what’s more important is what you have in mind and how you spend your time while preparing an album.

Sangyeon: I find that trying to chase records doesn’t make you happy. I believe that if you work hard and happily on what you need to do, on what you want to do, records will follow.

Q (to Sangyeon): But Eric thinks records are important.

Eric: That’s right. I think they’re important. Because of course that if the album does well, the members feel happy, but if it doesn’t, the members feel a little disappointed. Even then, right now I’m also thinking that we shouldn’t focus too much on records. The biggest priority became to promote for a long time happily, healthily and without getting hurt as THE BOYZ.

Everyone having fun is the most important thing. Seems like you all share the same heart about this.

Sangyeon: We participated in many competitions. We went on two survival shows, we also had year-end performances where we were rivals against other groups. Maybe because we went through those moments of trying to prove ourselves fiercely, but now we don’t want to pay attention to others. I think the answer is just focusing on ourselves and having fun among the members.

We’re talking about records and Juyeon-sshi went quiet.

Juyeon: Ah, the conversation turned serious so I tried to organize my thoughts. I would like it if we could enjoy promotions more comfortably, be it as the team THE BOYZ or as individual artists. Instead of thinking “we need to have a huge success here”, just meeting fans closely and promoting our music like we’re doing now is great, I feel grateful for that and think that’s more than enough now. 

Q: That’s right, that’s definitely what’s important. To me, I think the best thing is expressing things healthily and with a good and sincere heart to TheBs. If you get caught up in the obsession of doing something, you can try really hard to pretend you’re happy. I think doing something well while enjoying yourself and being healthy is really important.

Where do you think is THE BOYZ’s highest peak? I understand the members don’t chase records or success. But a peak could be enjoying a stage comfortably, or a huge happiness that’s achievable as a team called THE BOYZ.

Hyunjae: It’s right now!

Q: I think our highest peak worthy of celebration was our contract as a group. I feel really reassured and proud that this many people have the same heart. We’re past that hurdle and every moment together from now on can be our highest peak, so I would say our contract as a group.

Eric: Later, when THE BOYZ comes together again as 11 people, wouldn’t that be our highest peak? Sangyeon hyung is about to enlist. After everyone fulfills their duty and we come together again as THE BOYZ, I think that will be our highest peak. But also, personally, I want us to try having a concert at Jamsil stadium? (laughter)

As expected of the goal-oriented Eric. (laughter)

Eric: Ah, but really, it’s not that. It’s just that it’s an open air venue so if we performed there, we could have fireworks, and I think that if all the members got together to perform on that stage, it would be really romantic. Let’s just move on. (laughter) All right, next, would Juyeon-sshi like to answer?

Juyeon: Our highest peak… It’s the next album!

Hyunjae: Oh, I like that. (laughter)

You’re releasing an album in March, right?

Hyunjae: That’s right. We can’t say much yet, but I think we’ll be able to show music that’s completely different from the music we’ve done for the past 7 years, so I’m looking forward to it.

We heard that after today’s shooting, you’re going straight to recording. Everyone is always doing their best, but there are days when our condition isn’t great, of course. How do you push through that?

Hyunjae: Our performances are rather powerful, and there have been times when I was disappointed in my body for not delivering things the way I wanted. (laughter) Thinking about it now, the process of going through that while enduring those moments has made me grow. And there were many times when THE BOYZ faced difficulties and instead of feeling afraid, we instead turned those difficulties into opportunities.

You must have gone through a lot of things to get to the place where THE BOYZ is right now, like a sculpture that is completed by adding or removing things in the process. The time you spent so far, was it one where the members added something, or removed something?

Sangyeon: My MBTI changed from F to T. (T/N: From emotional to rational.) Back in the day, there were many times when I let anger or sadness overwhelm me. But as I did this job, I started to judge things more rationally and realistically. I can’t tell what exactly I added or extracted, but what I learned was between worrying about other people and my own ambition, I couldn’t lean too hard one way or the other, I had to find a balance there.

Q: Back then, I was receiving a lot of inspiration and through that worked on maturing myself. However, I realized I wasn’t internalizing necessarily good things. So I learned how to erase all of that and leave only myself. By erasing all of that I found again the good things that were already inside me since then.

“By erasing all of that I found again the good things that were already inside me since then” is such a wonderful way to put it.

Eric: I also used to absorb everything I saw, but then came to learn that some of those things were poisonous. I still don’t know how to remove that, and I’m still filling myself, but more wisely, with more discretion, “let’s ingest only nutritious things and not poisonous ones”!

Hyunjae: It’s similar to how I feel. The bowl isn’t always full of clean water. If you add just a little bit of muddy water, the whole thing turns muddy. So now I think I should just wait for the dirt to set and for the water to purify itself.

Juyeon: Until last year, we were only running nonstop like racehorses. We could look straight ahead. Of course we’re still running just as hard, but I think we changed our way of doing it. How can I say it, like riding a wave.

As if surfing?

Juyeon: As if surfing. We got a little bit more freedom, not physical freedom but in our hearts, so I think our field of vision expanded. We’re not just looking straight ahead, and while we’re still moving forward in that direction, it’s a bit like surfing.

Where are you headed now? To THE BOYZ’s highest peak, the new album?

Juyeon: Perhaps? That’s right now. (laughter)

Eric: All right, we have to go record now, right?

Sangyeon: Even as we’re recording, we think this album is something really new. And that means it’s just as hard too. I wonder if TheBs will think “huh, so THE BOYZ did this kind of music this time”, I wonder if they’ll have fun, I’m really looking forward to that. Please enjoy it a lot. (laughter)

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Sangyeon: People visiting from Japan like to eat whole chicken stew when coming to Korea, so I would recommend a restaurant that specializes in that.

Jacob: If you have the time, it would be good if you visited Jeju. The weather is nice, it’s a good place to stay, and the samgyeopsal is delicious. If you go to Jeju, make sure to eat samgyeopsal. In our team, when it comes to Jeju, we have Ju Haknyeon. (laughs)

Younghoon: I want to recommend "Daehan Gobchang". The first time I ate there, the gobchang was so delicious that I couldn’t forget the taste. I hope deobis can experience that taste as well.

Hyunjae: Myeong-dong (Myeong neighborhood) has many people and you can eat street food or shop there, so I recommend it. Even though I’ve never been there. (laughs)

Juyeon: I recommend Samcheong-dong (Samcheong neighborhood)! There are Korean-esque streets and comfortable parks as well. It’s nice to go on walks on streets where you can feel the vibes of Korea. Go for a walk. Try it once, please.

Kevin: Seongsu-dong (Seongsu neighborhood) has pretty stores and cafes, and since there are many different stores lined up, I highly recommend it to people who want to do shopping too.

New: Try going to Han River at night and cooking and eating ramyeon. There are so many different types to choose from but I particularly recommend ramyeon with broth.

Q: There is a delicious dakgalbi place called “Dalkeuro Ga” (B&D Chicken Restaurant) on Rodeo Street in Apgujeong that we used to go to all the time. We tell deobis to go there if they come to Korea even if there might be deobis who already know about it. However, it is a bit spicy, so for those who can’t handle spicy food, please keep that in mind before going. (laughs)

Haknyeon: I recommend "Cheongdamgol". It’s the real flavor of Korea!

Sunwoo: Right next to Lotte World is Seokchon Lake. The lake is nice and it’s nice to go on a walk there. You can also do shopping at Lotte World so that’s really good.

Eric: I want to recommend Seongsu-dong (Seongsu neighborhood). There are many cafes with a good ambiance and delicious food, so I think it’s a good place to eat something with friends and enjoy some dessert.

Are you strict with your Instagram or do you follow your own rules?

Sangyeon: I post things from when I’m working or a type of singing content called #singSangsong where I can showcase my vocal colors.

Jacob: I post things thinking will deobis like this pic, or this one. I hope deobis like my content! (smiles)

Younghoon: Among the pics that came out well, I post the ones that will make the fans smile when they see it.

Hyunjae: More than pics from work, I think daily life pics make people happy so I’m consciously [choosing] things that will make the fans feel good when they see it.

Juyeon: Since there are different platforms where I can talk to fans, I’m making Instagram the place where I can express myself. I want to show different things like lifestyle and my cool sides. I’m adorning myself.

Kevin: I’m using it as a picture diary. It’s images filled with records.

New: When I want to post something, I just post it freely. If a pic comes out looking good, I post it.

Q: My rule is to wait until I’ve gathered a good number of pics I like before I post. It’s hard to explain what kind of pic I like but it can take some time until I gather the pics I like [before I get to post them].

Haknyeon: I’m the kind to post much more stories than pics to the feed. Because the stories are seen only by the people who follow you, right? So I do that to induce people to follow. (laughs)

Sunwoo: I’m not very strict and I don’t think too hard about it. When I first started [my account] I had many ideas but now I think if you do it without pressure, soon enough you’ll naturally be showing your own identity. It’s hard to act cool but I’m posting pics that come out pretty.

Eric: The first thing is that my face needs to come out pretty, and the second is that I want to post things that have a vibe or a mood. You can post up to 10 pictures on Instagram, right? But I personally think 10 is too many, so I’ve been aiming for 5. But then if there’s even one more that I want to show, I always end up posting 10. (laughs)

Something you won't lose at against the other members?

Sangyeon: Tenacity and stamina!

Jacob: Big smile!

Younghoon: Height.

Hyunjae: Gaming. The other members don’t play all that much but I play often so I’m good. I’ve been playing LoL for 10 years.

Juyeon: Hand size and shamelessness. (laughs)

Kevin: I can do well with an earnest workout routine. Except for the days where I really can’t do it, I workout every day without a fault. I do it when I’m in Japan too, but the hotel doesn’t have something like a gym open 24-hours and that’s very sad. (laughs)

New: Mental arithmetic. I learned it a long time ago but I often use it well when splitting the [restaurant] bill.

Q: Long neck! (everyone laughs)

Haknyeon: The perseverance to keep doing something.

Sunwoo: Uhm… (thinking) Big eyes…? (Jacob: You have good sense! Q: You’re skilled in TikTok! Juyeon: Thick lips!) Since I’ve been acknowledged as having TikTok skills, I’ll film a TikTok later. Please look forward to it! (laughs)

Eric: Energy, and passion. I’m full of passion!

Something cute about deobis?

Sangyeon: Seeing the fans work so hard trying to speak Korean is so cute and lovely and it makes me grateful.

Jacob: During the concert, if I go near deobis, they get really surprised and shy, and that’s cute.

Younghoon: When I send messages on Bubble sometimes saying “I love you”, “I miss you”, deobis of other nationalities will answer in different languages like “I miss you” (T/N: Probably said in Japanese), or “I miss you” (English). I think that’s so lovely and so cute.

Hyunjae: The vibe of foreign deobis speaking Korean a little awkwardly is [in Japanese] cute!!

Juyeon: I think their reaction when we do cool performances at the concert is cute. They get shy or embarrassed and make faces or cover their faces. I think they’re cute when I see that.

Kevin: Be it on stage or when we communicate on Bubble, seeing them making an effort to communicate in Korean or English is cute.

New: Whenever I see slogans or signs, or decorated lighsticks, I’m like “oh, you made that at home” and think it’s really so cute. I can see especially that Japanese fans always make those.

Q: When there is a sign asking “please fire at me!” and then I do and they react like “ahhh!” and pretend to fall down (laughs) that’s really cute.

Haknyeon: Recently during a fansign a young fan in the 5th grade of middle school called me “cute” and I thought that was so cute. (laughs)

Sunwoo: Be it at fanmeetings or concerts, everyone is always cute whenever we meet.

Eric: They’re always cute no matter when, no matter where! During concerts, deobis hold up signs asking “please make a heart”, or “please give a flying kiss”. When I do that or when our eyes meet, their reaction is so great that I find it very cute.

An episode of something that happened with deobis?

Sangyeon: When the pop-up store was open in Korea, I went to buy chicken breast after a workout near the company and as I was leaving the convenience store, I ran into three Japanese fans. I was in such a natural state (T/N: in terms of appearance, not dressed up) that I got embarrassed and only said hi and ran away. (laughs) I wanted to give them an autograph but I couldn’t and I’m sorry about that.

Jacob: One time a deobi got the Korean spelling wrong on a sign with Kevin’s name and wrote “Kebongie”, and because of that we called him “Kebongie” too. (laughs) I think deobis comments when we’re live are funny. A while ago Sunwoo went live and while taking screenshots deobis wrote in comments asking him to pose in a way that would make it look like his eyebrows were connected and I thought that was so hilarious.

Younghoon: I’ve posted so many pics of Bori, my dog, that one day my mom and my older brother were walking with Bori and someone recognized her and greeted my mom.

Hyunjae: Japanese deobis write our names in Korean for slogans but there has been times when they got it wrong. For example, “Hyunjae” written as “Hunjae”, “Hyunje”, and “Kevin” as “Kebongie”, and those things are so cute and fun, so I want to cheer them on.

Juyeon: During the encore concert, everyone sang [for the fan event], right? Deobis sang the main parts together so loudly but the parts of the lyrics that they didn’t know they just hummed or pretend to sing and that was so cute that it was funny. (laughs)

Kevin: The fans made signs with our faces spinning and seeing that shared through videos was fun. I came across the Japanese tour in many places.

New: All the fans we meet during concerts stay in my memory.

Q: There was one time when a fan’s sign read “Kebongie” instead of “Kevin”. Even Kevin liked it and went “As expected of someone who’s my fan, that’s cute”. (laughs) More than funny, deobis are cute. Also when we did a nationwide Japan tour, deobis would say to us “see you tomorrow~!” and that was fun. It’s cute to feel like you’re meeting neighborhood friends.

Haknyeon: I heard that when my mom attended our concert in the past, the fans told her “thank you for giving birth to Haknyeon”. (laughs)

Sunwoo: During a Japanese performance, one of Kevin’s fans was holding a sign with his name but it wasn’t “Kevin”, it was “Kebongie” and that was funny and cute. (everyone laughs) But even then, the things deobis do for us are all cute, so more than funny, everything is cute.

Eric: My mom went to the concert and the fans noticed that, so they gave her many slogans and handwritten letters. It was a bit special so it’s something I’m thankful for.

What does THE BOYZ think of their relationship with deobis?

Sangyeon: Deobis always listen to the new songs we release, right? I hope when they’re spending a good time with friends they can be happy with that song, since I believe that’s what it means to achieve success with our work. I hope they can find more happiness through us and that they can keep cheering us on.

Jacob: They are precious colleagues. I want to take care of them, make them happy, and I hope they’re always happy.

Younghoon: On weekdays, waking up, studying, and coming home is exhausting, right? So I hope we can be the kind of existence that will give deobis strength during those times, be it through our videos or our music. Actually, hearing “thanks to THE BOYZ, I felt strong” gives me strength too and [motivates me to] work even harder. I want our relationship to be one where we don’t get tired of each other and are able to work hard together.

Hyunjae: There are many people who get really nervous or can’t say everything they prepared to say when meeting us, but I hope you will think of us as oppas who are like your close friends. You don’t need to feel nervous, it's ok!

Juyeon: We will keep supporting and taking care of each other. I think of it as that kind of relationship.

Kevin: I hope we can become the kind of relationship where we support each other and even in hard circumstances can overcome it thanks to exch other’s existence.

New: I hope we can have a relationship where we can trust each other.

Q: Best friend! Sharing many things, laughing, crying, a colleague or a friend you can open your heart to. That’s how I think of our relationship.

Haknyeon: I think of it in terms of hoping that we can become an existence that is a source of strength when life gets hard.

Sunwoo: A mom. Family that takes care of you!

Eric: I really like our current relationship with deobis and I hope we can continue to keep it that way forever. And I hope deobis won’t neglect their own lives and will live healthily by studying and working diligently as well.

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(JPN -> KOR translation/transcription: @ satowith126 / pic cr: @ daydream913hj)